Heavyweight in sky

This Indian spaceport is revving up for a path-breaking launch next month — of the Insat-4C, one of India's most advanced and heaviest communications satellite.

This 2,180-kg satellite, designed to enhance DTH television broadcast services, has been booked ahead of its launch by several broadcasting corporations.

Insat-4C has been designed to last a decade. As for the rocket that will cart this satellite into space -- the GSLV or the Geo-Synchronous Launch Vehicle -- the voyage in July will be the first from the second launch pad built by ISRO at a cost of Rs 400 crore.

"The D-day will be between July 10 and 15," said Dr M Annamalai, Director of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC), told newsmen on Thursday. This will be the first operational two-tonne class to be hoisted into space from Indian soil.

Later this year, the PSLV or Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle will place Cartosat-II, an Indian remote-sensing satellite and Indonesian satellite 'Lapan Tubsat' in orbit. In addition, scientists at the spaceport will carryout the SRE or Space Capsule Recovery experiment through a 600-kg satellite that will ride piggyback on CARTOSAT II.